Support NeoGAF

[JohnnyFootball]

I swear this shit is pissing me the fuck off. ONLY Steam has this issue and it has been a recurrent issue and it seemed like a network issue, but it has something to do with the way it is interacting with windows. GOG, Gamepass, EA, and even Epic don't have this issue.
1. Steam games simply will not start UNLESS I clear the download cache and restart. Then everything works fine for a little while. See the screenshot below. This happens whenever I start Steam from Windows.
2. Cloud Sync errors.
3. Game backup doesn't work. It just instantly stops at 0. See second screenshot.

All of these issues go away (at least temporarily) once I Clear Download Cache. I can play games and I can do backups once I do that.

"Ok, so what's the big deal?"

It's simple, there is no rhyme or reason, why Steam should have to be restarted at least once before I can even use it. None. It's frustrating and it's annoying. Having to clear cache and do a restart should be a "once in a blue moon" type of fix, but I have to do this every fucking time and I am just plain tired of it.

I'd love to hear some suggestions, thoughts on what could be causing this. I am open to outside the box solutions.

I am tired of constantly having to treat the symptom. I'd like to figure out how to treat the problem.

 

[{insert code here}]

.... I am open to outside the box solutions.

 

[Evil Calvin]

Never had that issue using my Steam Deck

 

[reinking]

Honestly, I have no idea how to help you. Do you have a game that might be trying to share another service/client with Steam?

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Never had that issue using my Steam Deck

Thank you. That's very fucking helpful

 

[Puscifer]

Dumb question ever just reinstalled it?


Bearing that in mind, what kind of router do you have and the firewall settings? Looking at those errors something's blocking web traffic to steam.

Try changing your download region and see what happens. Then bypass your router completely and see if you can get out. If you can, then look at your routers settings.

 

[Zathalus]

Tried reinstalling Steam? Maybe install it and some games on another drive if you have one? Sounds like some sort of disk reading issue.

I’d the above doesn’t work do you see any errors in the event log at the same time you run into these problems?

 

[Stitch]

No Download Source [FIX FOUND] :: Help and Tips

steamcommunity.com

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Dumb question ever reinstalled it?

Not recently. This has happened before and the only way it went away was to reinstall windows. The reinstall fixed it for a little while and now it's back.

I'll reinstall it in a bit and see if that stops it, but i doubt it. I also have Steam installed on a separate M.2 that I use exclusively for Game installs. I'd be happy to install Steam on my main Windows drive if there was a way to tell the games to install on the M.2.

To my knowledge, Steam has never fixed this.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

No Download Source [FIX FOUND] :: Help and Tips

steamcommunity.com

I've done that. It has the same affect as clearing the download cache. It will work temporarily and then go back to shit whenever I restart windows.

 

[Puscifer]

Not recently. This has happened before and the only way it went away was to reinstall windows. The reinstall fixed it for a little while and now it's back.

I'll reinstall it in a bit and see if that stops it, but i doubt it. I also have it installed on a separate M.2 that I use exclusively for Game installs. I'd be happy to install Steam on my main Windows drive if there was a way to tell the games to install on the M.2.

To my knowledge, Steam has never fixed this.

Makes sense. I updated my post, give it another look.

 

[Three]

I don't know how to troubleshoot this but perhaps monitor the cache directory/file for changes using this

How can I monitor a Windows directory for changes?

When a change is made within a directory on a Windows system, I need a program to be notified immediately of the change. Is there some way of executing a program when a change occurs? I'm not a C...

stackoverflow.com

And find out what might be causing the issue based on when it happens.

 

[Melon Husk]

is your Steam library on a different drive? is the drive malfunctioning?

edit: weird question is it unusually hot in your room right now? could be heat related. check the temps with hwinfo64 or something if yes.

 

[El Muerto]

Is your hard drive going bad? That's the only thing i can think of.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Is your hard drive going bad? That's the only thing i can think of.

I was about to type this, Try moving the game to a different drive.

 

[Zathalus]

Not recently. This has happened before and the only way it went away was to reinstall windows. The reinstall fixed it for a little while and now it's back.

I'll reinstall it in a bit and see if that stops it, but i doubt it. I also have Steam installed on a separate M.2 that I use exclusively for Game installs. I'd be happy to install Steam on my main Windows drive if there was a way to tell the games to install on the M.2.

To my knowledge, Steam has never fixed this.

You can have Steam install on another drive.

Steam Support :: Moving a Steam Installation and Games

help.steampowered.com

 

[BennyBlanco]

Your hard drive might be committing seppuku

 

[JohnnyFootball]

I was about to type this, Try moving the game to a different drive.

Is your hard drive going bad? That's the only thing i can think of.

is your Steam library on a different drive? is the drive malfunctioning?

edit: weird question is it unusually hot in your room right now? could be heat related.

It's on a Western Digital 4TB 850X M.2 and no. All other games and launchers are installed on this same drive and they show no issues here.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Do you use VPN, bought games from a different region, stuff like that?

I'd be happy to install Steam on my main Windows drive if there was a way to tell the games to install on the M.2.

There is, Steam lets you choose a storage device to install the game on

 

[Melon Husk]

It's on a Western Digital 4TB 850X M.2 and no. All other games and launchers are installed on this same drive and they show no issues here.

Well, M.2 means it's probably stuck on a hot motherboard. It still could be due to summer temps. M.2 do weird stuff when they get hot.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

You can have Steam install on another drive.

Steam Support :: Moving a Steam Installation and Games

help.steampowered.com

Dude, I already have STeam installed on a non-OS drive.
I only have two drives and I don't have enough space on my main OS drive to install Steam and I would never want games on my main OS drive anyway.

I would be open to installing Steam itself on my main drive IF I could install the games on my dedicated gaming drive. To my knowledge Steam forces all games to be installed in the same directory as Steam.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Well, M.2 means it's probably stuck on a hot motherboard. It still could be due to summer temps. M.2 do weird stuff when they get hot.

Again...no other games on any other launcher have this issue. The system isn't running hot at all.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

One thing I would be open to trying is the loading order of Apps at start.

Maybe it would work better if I set Steam to be the last thing to load. If such a thing is possible. Never tried!

 

[proandrad]

I would be open to installing Steam itself on my main drive IF I could install the games on my dedicated gaming drive. To my knowledge Steam forces all games to be installed in the same directory as Steam.

You can install games on multiple different drives.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

You can install games on multiple different drives.

Apparently you can! I will look into doing this. I just need to figure out how to uninstall Steam, preserve the games I have downloaded, reinstall Steam on the main drive and have the games stay on the dedicated M.2.

I'm sure it's not too difficult, but I've had some horrible luck with stuff being deleted on accident recently and had to spend too much time recovering critical files.

 

[Shakka43]

Change to Steam Beta channel if you are on Stable or vice versa.

 

[El Muerto]

Apparently you can! I will look into doing this. I just need to figure out how to uninstall Steam, preserve the games I have downloaded, reinstall Steam on the main drive and have the games stay on the dedicated M.2

Games are stored in "Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common". Just move all the folders to like your desktop or something, somehwere out of the steam folder. Uninstall and reinstall Steam, keep it closed, dont open steam yet. Move games back to the steamapps\common folder. Open steam and set your directories in steam and it should find the games. But i would see if you can update the firmware on your WD 4tb drive. Run Trim in the Western Digital software, if not available use like IO Bit Smart Defrag to run trim, never do a defrag on it. Also try changing your region. That could be the issue too.

 

[Laptop1991]

Does it happen with games that don't use the cloud to save, but use local saves instead on your PC.

 

[Hrk69]

Steam Support

Log in to your Steam account to get help with your Steam games, contact Steam Support, request refunds, and more. Help is also available if you can't log in, need to reset your password, or recover a hijacked account.

help.steampowered.com

 

[darrylgorn]

See if you can launch your game exe directly -- without steam launching -- and check if the problem is replicated.

 

[Evil Calvin]

Thank you. That's very fucking helpful

Just saying that it's a YOU issue. And you do have issues......

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Downloaded too many waifu, furry, and penis related games most likely.

 

[Zathalus]

Dude, I already have STeam installed on a non-OS drive.
I only have two drives and I don't have enough space on my main OS drive to install Steam and I would never want games on my main OS drive anyway.

I would be open to installing Steam itself on my main drive IF I could install the games on my dedicated gaming drive. To my knowledge Steam forces all games to be installed in the same directory as Steam..

That is indeed what the article describes. You can have Steam on your main drive and have games installed on multiple other drives. Installed games do not need to touch your OS drive.

 

[Soodanim]

That is indeed what the article describes. You can have Steam on your main drive and have games installed on multiple other drives. Installed games do not need to touch your OS drive.

This. It seems like you didn't know this OP, but it's extremely useful to know. I also find that in general it's best to just keep program installations to C:.

I recently reinstalled Windows, and my games on a different drive were instantly detected when I installed and logged into Steam as if I'd never left. It was great, and I honestly expected more work.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Downloaded too many waifu, furry, and penis related games most likely.

It's really rude to hack fellow GAF members PCs like that....

 

[Kacho]

Are you using one of them clunky mechanical drives still?

 

[JohnnyFootball]

This. It seems like you didn't know this OP, but it's extremely useful to know. I also find that in general it's best to just keep program installations to C:.

I recently reinstalled Windows, and my games on a different drive were instantly detected when I installed and logged into Steam as if I'd never left. It was great, and I honestly expected more work.

Yeah, I will give this a try later. I just need to figure out how to avoid accidentally deleting the currently installed games.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Are you using one of them clunky mechanical drives still?

No, I answered this many times in this thread,

 

[poppabk]

You can install games on multiple different drives.

Yeah I have my games spread across so many drives - 3 physical drives and maybe 5 different partitions on those drives.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Just saying that it's a YOU issue. And you do have issues......

Just saying that your stupid ass response accomplished nothing.

You have no issues on your Steamdeck...a platform completely different from mine.

Congratulations! We are all better knowing that YOUR platform doesn't have issues.

Now....

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Steam Support

Log in to your Steam account to get help with your Steam games, contact Steam Support, request refunds, and more. Help is also available if you can't log in, need to reset your password, or recover a hijacked account.

help.steampowered.com

I look forward to the "restart computer" responses....

 

[Kacho]

No, I answered this many times in this thread,

You should put important information like that in the OP. Ain’t nobody reading all the replies here.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

This. It seems like you didn't know this OP, but it's extremely useful to know. I also find that in general it's best to just keep program installations to C:.

I recently reinstalled Windows, and my games on a different drive were instantly detected when I installed and logged into Steam as if I'd never left. It was great, and I honestly expected more work.

I've done this and installed STeam in the default. I moved all my games into the Steam Library folder. Steam isn't detecting them unless I manually ask it to install them.

I wish there was a scan option and it would update my library.

I would rather Steam not repair the folder as I have modded files.

 

[oneran]

Have you tried installing the older versions of .net?

• Press the Windows key
  
  on your keyboard, type "Windows Features", and press Enter. The Turn Windows features on or off dialog box appears.
• Select the .NET Framework 3.5 & 4.5 check boxes, select OK, and reboot your computer if prompted.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/dotnet-35-windows

 

[Soodanim]

I've done this and installed STeam in the default. I moved all my games into the Steam Library folder. Steam isn't detecting them unless I manually ask it to install them.

I wish there was a scan option and it would update my library.

I would rather Steam not repair the folder as I have modded files.

Did you move the files before reinstalling Steam or after? My modified Elden Ring exe wasn't touched, I'm guessing Steam looked for manifest files and called it a day.

I suppose in the worst case you'll have to do some manual backups while you go through and install the games with mods, but in the long run it will be worth it.

I can't remember what it was, but I recently saw a mod that said it breaks when X isn't installed on C:. Certain things just like C: too much!

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Did you move the files before reinstalling Steam or after? My modified Elden Ring exe wasn't touched, I'm guessing Steam looked for manifest files and called it a day.

I suppose in the worst case you'll have to do some manual backups while you go through and install the games with mods, but in the long run it will be worth it.

I can't remember what it was, but I recently saw a mod that said it breaks when X isn't installed on C:. Certain things just like C: too much!

yes, they were moved and are now moved in the default steam folder.

I still have to manually tell Steam to install the game. It just validates the files. I suppose its not the end of the world.

 

[flying_sq]

yes, they were moved and are now moved in the default steam folder.

I still have to manually tell Steam to install the game. It just validates the files. I suppose its not the end of the world.

You should just be able to set a folder as the game location, then it should see them as installed, just runs a validate before first launch. Go to the storage area in settings and pick the folder your games are installed in. You will have to add it if you haven't already. Also don't forget to make it the default location via the ellipsis. It sounds like you've already done that, but just want to make sure you don't run into more frustration.

 

[Hudo]

You should either ask on the Steam subreddit or on the Steam forums (I bet there is a subforum on Steam for technical questions). You are much more likely to find helpful advice over there.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

You should either ask on the Steam subreddit or on the Steam forums (I bet there is a subforum on Steam for technical questions). You are much more likely to find helpful advice over there.

Yeah…thanks. I may still bring it up there.

 

[drotahorror]

After reading this thread...

Spoiler

PEBCAK

is the answer.